📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Jagat Singh
Health
Malnourished 16‑month‑old dies in Datiya’s Salaiya Pamar tribal settlement, raising health concerns
✍️ Amar Ujala · Madhya Pradesh
🗓 19 Aug 2026, 01:48 PM
👁 33
A 16‑month‑old girl weighing just 5.2 kg died after vomiting and diarrhoea in the Salaiya Pamar tribal settlement of Datiya, Madhya Pradesh, prompting criticism of local health and nutrition services.
A 16‑month‑old infant named Neelu, who weighed only 5.2 kilograms, died in the Salaiya Pamar tribal settlement of Datiya, Madhya Pradesh, after a bout of vomiting and diarrhoea. The child was taken to the district hospital where doctors attempted treatment, but she could not be saved.
Local officials confirmed that Neelu had been suffering from severe acute malnutrition, a condition that makes children highly vulnerable to infections. Her low weight and the rapid onset of gastrointestinal symptoms underscored the fragility of her health.
The death has sparked immediate criticism of the region’s health and nutrition delivery mechanisms. Community members and health workers are questioning whether existing schemes, such as the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), are reaching the most vulnerable families in remote tribal areas.
Public health experts note that Madhya Pradesh continues to record high rates of child malnutrition, and the incident highlights the urgent need for stronger monitoring, timely supplementation, and better access to medical care in tribal settlements.
Local officials confirmed that Neelu had been suffering from severe acute malnutrition, a condition that makes children highly vulnerable to infections. Her low weight and the rapid onset of gastrointestinal symptoms underscored the fragility of her health.
The death has sparked immediate criticism of the region’s health and nutrition delivery mechanisms. Community members and health workers are questioning whether existing schemes, such as the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), are reaching the most vulnerable families in remote tribal areas.
Public health experts note that Madhya Pradesh continues to record high rates of child malnutrition, and the incident highlights the urgent need for stronger monitoring, timely supplementation, and better access to medical care in tribal settlements.